THE SOLAR MAFIA: The mafia appears to be siphoning off the profits from Italy’s solar power subsidies. Taxpayers fund the subsidies that help develop renewable projects, but some regions say they see little profits from the energy produced, and accuse companies of making fraudulent claims. In Sardinia, for example, subsidies were granted to farmers to install solar panels, but didn't actually produce any agricultural goods, according to Mauro Mura, the island’s prosecutor. Read more at Phys.org: http://bit.ly/1In2pHN.

— ONE BASKET: Meanwhile, the Commission has already adopted new electricity trading rules to make market coupling legally binding. Market coupling puts bids and offers for power from different country exchanges into one basket, facilitating cross-border trading. This, Brussels estimates, will save customers up to €4 billion per year. The rules take effect August 14. Here’s more: http://bit.ly/1LNx1t8. And for the legal-language fans among you, the official text: http://bit.ly/1etEsa4.

DRAW YOUR OWN ENERGY MARKET: The Commission wants to hear your thoughts on how to redesign the EU’s electricity market. The goal is make energy supply more reliable and affordable across the bloc. The Commission is asking for feedback on how to encourage investment, integrate renewable generation into the existing electricity market, better coordinate regional policies on operating energy systems and investing in infrastructure, and govern the internal market, among other issues. Comments are due by October 8: http://bit.ly/1D1VFmZ.

HILLARY’S GREEN VISION: Hillary Clinton would like to see a third of the U.S.’s energy come from solar, wind, geothermal and other green sources by 2027. Specifically, the Democratic presidential hopeful’s new, climate-change plan calls for increasing solar power capacity by about 700 percent to 140 gigawatts by the end of 2020 (with the addition of 500 million photovoltaic panels). That’s equivalent to the power generated by about 140 nuclear reactors. To do this, Clinton wants to extend the U.S. federal clean energy tax incentives and maintain President Barack Obama’s policies for cutting greenhouse gases from power plants. She plans to unveil further details on her energy and climate strategy in the coming months. Here’s more from our friends at POLITICO Pro in the U.S. (behind a paywall): http://politi.co/1Ow45mP.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — TO CLIMATE: In the U.S., 13 of the largest companies in the country visited the White House on Monday to pledge a combined $140 billion in low-carbon investments and the addition of more than 1,600 megawatts of renewable energy. By signing the American Business Act on Climate Pledge, the companies voiced their support for a strong deal at the global COP21 summit in Paris in December. The companies include Alcoa, Berkshire Hathaway Energy and General Electric. More from the White House: http://1.usa.gov/1JL0opR.

FUEL IT UP (WITH POWER): Good news for electric cars in the Netherlands, where the government scored €33 million in state aid from the Commission for installing and operating charging stations. The Dutch Green Deal aims to give local authorities the choice of participating in the program as they want. But money won’t flow just like that — state support will only be available when private investors get on board. The scheme ends on July 1 2018. Here’s the statement: http://bit.ly/1LNM6cy.

€5 BILLION LIFELINE: That’s how much it could cost the French government to rescue state-run nuclear group Areva, the FT reports. The company is in tense talks with state-run energy utility EDF over the price EDF will pay to buy Areva’s reactor business and fuel treatment contracts. Their boards meet tomorrow to try to reach a deal. Sources told the paper the government could be forced to contribute up to €5 billion in capital by September, about twice the level expected. http://on.ft.com/1JpUI8U.

MORE EXPLORATION WINNERS: In the U.K., where the newly formed Oil and Gas Authority has awarded 41 more offshore exploration licenses, in addition to the 134 it granted late last year. That makes it the country’s largest tender in five decades. It comes as the government puts increasing focus on maximizing hydrocarbon production from older fields in the North Sea. Here’s the announcement: http://bit.ly/1In1JCe.

PHASING OUT COAL AID: The Commission wants tougher rules on when subsidies known as coal-export credits can be used, Reuters reports. Experts from EU members will meet in Brussels Wednesday to forge a position in advance of OECD talks in September, EU sources said. Negotiations last month stalled because of opposition from Japan, the biggest export-credit user. The Commission finds the OECD chairman’s proposal to be balanced “in principle.” However, it says the EU should strengthen it by shortening loan-repayment times, or by reducing the number of countries that qualify. While environmental groups have been campaigning for an end to fossil-fuel subsides, there’s an argument for exporting coal technology to countries that have few options. The coal industry argues export credits ensure cleaner and more efficient technology is used. http://reut.rs/1InoxBM.

CCS IS AN OPTION: The Commission’s paper also raises the possibility of allowing coal-export credits for plants suitable for combined capture and storage (CCS) technology, which catches and buries CO2. Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete told us last month that he’d support CCS as much as he can to promote “technology breakthroughs” and support it to “become marketable.” Why CCS has failed so far to take off in Europe: http://politi.co/1B8JK5r.

NO TO COAL (MAYBE, IN JAPAN): Japan’s Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki is expected to oppose two, new coal-fired power projects in the country with a combined capacity of 3,070 megawatts, but not until after power companies submit their voluntary emissions-reduction targets, Bloomberg reports, citing Nikkei. Mochizuki plans to send a letter to Japan’s trade minister, who has the power to approve the construction of new plants. His opposition comes amid concerns that Japan may fail to meets its emissions reduction targets. It is expected to re-start its first reactor next month. http://bloom.bg/1JKuTML.

TRANSPARENCY: Transparency is one of the buzzwords in the run up to the global climate negotiations in December. It’s code for monitoring if countries keep their promises. But recent pledges are vague, complicated and barely comparable, energy and climate consultant Gerard Wynn writes for RTCC. And this is casting doubt over the effectiveness of a voluntary approach and the potential for a COP21 deal. “Perhaps most seriously, there is a question mark over the quality of national reporting of historical emissions. If this is just educated guesswork, then the targets are meaningless,” he says. Read it here: http://bit.ly/1KtSxTn.

CARBON MARKETS MATTER: The negotiating text detailing the options for the COP21 talks needs clarity on carbon pricing, the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) said after the UN published a new version Friday. The association is concerned that without guidelines to link different emissions trading programs, companies won’t feel pressure to curb emissions. The bloc’s energy and climate action chief Miguel Arias Cañete raised the possibility earlier this month for member states to consider using the revenues from emissions permit auctions to finance climate action outside the EU. More from IETA: http://bit.ly/1evCvKe.

NATURE LAWS — THEY’RE FIT: At least that’s what more than 520,000 people have told the Commission, which is carrying out a fitness check of its longstanding laws protecting thousands of species and nature sites around Europe. That’s more than three times the responses for a public consultation on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, according to WWF. Rallying people around an EU public consultation was not an easy task, the group’s Geneviève Pons told us. “What businesses want is a very clear legal framework in which to work, and after many years we have a legal framework that businesses know,” she said. What’s next? The Commission is expected to complete the fitness check by the end of this year, and publish its report next spring, after which the European Council will vote by June. Here’s more from WWF: http://bit.ly/1Inm4rc.